Conveyer.



No. 807,564. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. P. LORILLARD.

GONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10.1905.

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No. 807,564. PATENTED DEC. 19. 1905. P. LORILLARD.

CONVEYBR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10. 1905.

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No. 807,564. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. P. LORILLARD. GONVEYER.

APPLIOATION FILED APE.10.1905.

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No. 807,564. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. r

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CONVEYER.

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No. 807,564. v PATENTED DEC. '19, 1905. P. LORILLARD.

OONVBYER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10.1905.

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CONVEYER.

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PIERRE LORILLARD, OF TUXEDO PARK, NEW YORK.

CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed April 10, 1905. Serial No. 254,779.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE LORILLARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tuxedo Park, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of conveying apparatus which is continuously operative to transport its load in a given direction, as distinguished from conveyors of the more usual type, which operate alternately in opposite directions.

My improvements are particularly intended to be used for transporting passengers from one elevation to another, and, so far as I am aware, all prior apparatus for this purpose of the class to which my invention relates have in each case consisted substantially of an endless belt-like structure propelled continuously in a predetermined path, its outer face being provided in one way or another with suitable tread-surfaces and having its exposed portion arranged to run up or down an incline between stationary landings located at the respective elevations between which the passengers are to be conveyed.

My present invention provides a conveying apparatus which is radically unlike those above referred to and is based upon entirely different principles, with a resulting saving in the weight and cost of the apparatus and in the amount of space required for its installation.

Briefly described, my apparatus for conveying passengers from one elevation to another comprises a number of sets of narrow treads, each set of which forms a series extending at a suitable pitch between two landing-points located at different elevations, the arrangement being such that the collective setsare adapted to provide a flight of steps between said landing-points, substantially as in an ordinary staircase. These sets of treads are arranged side by side, and the alternate sets are operated in unison and are preferably connected together to form two uni tary ele ments, the treads of each of these elements being thus interleaved with those of the other element and being capable of movement between them in parallel planes. The mode of operation of these parts is such that the collective tread-surfaces of each of the unitary elements are alternately exposed above and withdrawn between the tread-surfaces of the other element, and the tread-surfaces of both elements are caused to coincide in position just before either set of them disappears beneath the other set. each element being also given a limited re'ciprocatory movement such that the exposed tread-surfaces are always moved in the direction of conveyance while the depressed tread-surfaces are moving in the return-path. The result of this arrangement is that a passenger who steps upon the collective tread-surfaces of either unitary element is propelled continuously upward or downward, as the case may be, without further effort on his part, being carried by a portion of the tread-surfaces of one of the unitary elements a limited distance coinciding with their travel while exposed above the tread-surfaces of the other element and being then picked up by the tread-surfaces of the latter element and carried an additional equal distance in the same direction while the tread surfaces on which he first stood are performing their return movement, and so on in con tinuous alternation until a landing-point is reached by the passenger.

My invention also includes means whereby passengers may be automatically taken up or deposited at one or both ends of my inclined conveyer, and I have shown in the accompanying drawings a construction which will also serve to convey passengers horizontally for any desired distance before or afterreaching the corresponding end of the incline. This construction is based upon principles similar tothose embodied in my inclined conveyer above described and is capable of operating in connection therewith to provide for the continuous conveyance of a passenger along the incline and for any desired distance at one or both ends thereof, as well as for taking him up from or depositing him upon a stationary landing. It may also be used as a horizontal conveyer independently of any inclined conveyer.

My invention also includes certain constructional features and details hereinafter described and claimed. x

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete conveying apparatus embodying my improvements in their preferred form, the stationary parts adjacent to the ends of the apparatus being shown partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, through the central and lower, portions of the conveyer illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the visible parts principally in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4: is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4: in Fig. 1 looking in each case in the direction indicated by the corresponding arrow. Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly in section, of the lower portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the line of section being indicated at 5 5 in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating a convenient construction of the conveyor-sections hereinafter described, Fig. 6 being a plan view and Fig. 7 a side elevation, partly broken away. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the inclined conveyer.

The moving parts of my apparatus may be supported in any suitable manner. In the present instance they are shown as carried by a structural iron framework comprising longitudinally-extending I-beams 2, each composed of a central inclined portion and horizontal end portions, the latter being supported on cross-beams 3, which may form a part of the framework of the building or other structure in which my apparatus is located.

4: 4 represent uprights carried by the crossbeams 3 and supporting in turn the ends of longitudinal beams 5, on which are laid the upper and lower floors or platforms 6 and 7, between which my apparatus extends.

The construction of conveyer herein shown and described is reversible-that is to say, it will carry its load in either direction, according to the direction in which its parts are driven; but for convenience it will be considered herein as an elevating-conveyer whenever any distinction is necessary, as its operation in the reverse direction will be obviousfrom the ensuing description.

At 8 and 9 are represented a number of similar conveyer-sections, each of which extends at a suitable inclination from one landing to the other and resembles, generally speaking, one of the stringers of an ordinary staircase. These sections are located side by side closely adjacent to one another and as many of them are employed as are required to give the conveyer the desired width. Said sections are arranged in two sets, the sections 8 forming one set and the sections 9 forming the other set, and the sections 8 and 9 alternate with each other in lateral arrangement, so that the sections of each set are interleaved between those of the other set. The sections of each set move in unison and are preferably connected to form a unitary element, as hereinafter described. Each of these sections is constructed to provide a series of tread-surfaces 10, arranged like a flight of steps, and the corresponding tread-surfaces of each set of sections are located in the same plane and are of such width that a passenger standing upon either set will be supported by the collective tread-surfaces of several of the sections'.

According to the particular construction illustrated each conveyer-section is composed of a suitable number of lengths, according to the desired length of the conveyer, which lengths are rigidly secured together end to end. The details of construction are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, in which 11 and 12 represent two inclined posts forming adjacent ends of two lengths of a section and bolted together. The bottom portion of each length consists of a strip 13, secured at its ends to the corresponding posts 11 and 12, as by an angle-iron 14:. The risers of the several steps are formed by vertical strips 15, secured at their lower ends to the bottom strip 13, and the tread-surfaces are provided by horizontal strips 16, supported at the end of the length by the posts 11 and 12 and between said posts by the risers themselves, as at 17, Fig. 7. All of these strips, as well as the posts 11 and 12, are of the same width, which is the width of the conveyer-section, and the sides of the frames formed by said strips may be.covered by thin sheet-metal plates 18. The described construction provides a conveyer-section which is strong and rigid in proportion to its weight; but the tread-surfaces and their supporting parts may be constructed in any other suitable manner without affecting the main features of my invention.

For supporting the conveyer-sections above described and uniting the sections of each set into a unitary element I prefer to locate the corresponding posts 11 and 12 of said sections in transverse alinement and to clamp the lower ends of each line of posts between two transversely-extending plates 19, having inwardlyturned top and bottom edges which are notched at the proper points, as at 20, Fig. 2, to receive said posts. When these plates are bolted togetherwith the posts in proper relation between them, the conveyer-sections of each set are rigidly secured together and prevented from relative lateral movement by the notches 20, in which the posts are located. The spacing of said posts is just sufficient to permit the conveyer-sections of each set to move freely between the sections of the other set. of sections are bolted at their ends to the upper ends of supporting-brackets 21, and the remaining plates 19 are secured in like The plates 19 corresponding to one set manner to similar brackets 22, and each pair are provided with means for operating them in the followingmanner: Startingfromaposition in which the correspondingtread-surfaces of both sets are flush with each other, which is the position shown in the drawings, one unitary element or set of treads, which I will designate as the A treads, is given a forward movement in the direction of conveyance-that is to say, up or down the incline, as the case may beand concurrently with this movement theother element or set of treads, which I will call the B treads, is given a downward or disappearing movement, such that a passenger will be left standing on and supported by the A treads alone, by which he will be conveyed in the desired direction for a distance corresponding to their forward movement. During such movement the B treads are moved in the opposite direction and at a lower elevation, so that they remain concealed during the movement to another position of coincidence with the A treads, but in this position any given step formed by the A treads is located behind that step formed by the B treads with which it was previously flush with respect to the direction of conveyance. Thereupon the movements just described are interchanged-that is to say, the A treads are caused to disappear and perform a return movement totheir first position, leaving the passenger supported by the B treads, and the latter treads are simultaneously moved forward in the direction of conveyance until their original position of coincidence with the A treads is reachedwhereupon the movements above described are repeated in the same order. It will thus be seen that each set of tread-surfaces is caused to move in a closed path so determined that they are alternately exposed above and concealed beneath the other set of surfaces and perform a limited forward movement in the direction of conveyance while exposed and a return movement while concealed, all the forward movements being caused to start from a position of coincidence of the two sets of surfaces and uniting to impart to a passenger supported thereon a continuous movement in the direction of conveyance until the end of the conveyer is reached. This mode of operation is a distinguishing characteristic of my conveyer, whereby my invention is differentiated from prior conveyers of this class, and it is to be understood that my broad invention is by no means limited to the particular embodiment thereof, which is herein illustrated and described.

In order to secure the cyclical movements above described, I prefer to provide means for imparting to each set of treads suitable movements in two different directions, which movements are compounded to produce the cyclical movements desired. These cyclical movements are preferably compounded of a longltudinal movement parallel with the direction of conveyance and an up-and-down movement in a vertical plane, as this arrangement simplifies many of the problems of construction, and particularly those involved in imparting to a passenger a continuous movement of conveyance in the desired direction at a uniform speed. In the particular arrangement illustrated the longitudinal I-beams 24, which form a part of one of the unitary elements or sets of conveyer-sections, are located between the I-beams 25, forming a part of the other unitary element, as shown in Fig. 3, and each of said I-beams is provided with two tracks 26, located at suitable points to distribute the weight of the structure, each track being supported by and adapted to run on a corresponding grooved roller 27. Each of the rollers 27 corresponding tothe lower ends of the outer pair of I-beams 25 is carried by an arm 28, which is secured to a transversely-extending shaft 29, journaled on the framework 2, which shaft is provided with an arm 30, connected by a rod 31 with means for rocking said shaft to raise and lower said rollers and the tracks supported thereon. Said rocking means preferably consist of a lever 32, fulcrumed on a transversely-extending rod 33, supported on the framework 2, which lever is provided with a roller 34, bearing against a cam 35, which is'rigidly secured on a transverse driving-shaft 36, journaled in bearings 37, carried by said framework, the rod 31 being pivotally connected with the upper end of said lever 32. The rollers which support the tracks at the upper ends of the same pair of I-beams are carried by arms 38, which are secured to a shaft 39, arranged and operated in substantially the same manner as the shaft 29, except that the arm which rocks said shaft 39 extends downward instead of upward and is connected to the lower end of the lever 32 by means of a rod 40, Fig. 2. Similar means are provided for raising and lowering the rollers 27 which carry the inner pair of I-beams 24, the arms 41, which carry said rollers at the lower ends of the I-beams, being rigidly secured to asleeve 42, rotatably mounted on the shaft 29 and adapted to be oscillated by an arm 43, connected by a rod 44 with a lever 45, which is fulcrumed on the rod 33 and operated by a cam 46, carried by the drivingshaft 36, said cam 46 and lever 45 being substantially like the cam 35 and lever 32 in construction and arrangement, except that they are located at the opposite side of the apparatus. The arrangement at the upper ends of the I-beams 24 is the same as at their lower ends, the oscillating arm 47 extending downward and being connected to the operatinglever 45 by means of a rod 48, Figs. 1 and 3. The rods 40 and 48 are shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 as consisting, respectively, of two lengths, that length of the rod 40 which is connected to the lower end of the lever 32 being composed of two rods 49, spaced laterally to receive the cam 35 between them and the corresponding length of the lever 48 being similarly composed of two rods 50, one at each side of the cam 46.

The arrangement above described provides for elevating and depressing the two sets of conveyer-sections independently of each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of conveyance, while it permits independent longitudinal movements of the sets of sections on the rollers 27, and the. parts are so proportioned that the movements of all the rollers corresponding to either set of sections are equal in extent and similar in direction, so that all the conveyer-sections are always kept parallel with the predetermined direction of conveyance. The longitudinal movements of the conveyer-sections are imparted according to the construction illustrated by means of two levers 51 and 52, one for each set of sections, said levers being journaled on a transverse rod 53, carried by the framework 2 and being provided with rollers 54 and 55,bearing, respectively, against cams 56 and 57, carried by the driving-shaft 36. One of these levers, as 51, is connected by a rod 58 to a cross-brace 59, rigidly secured to the inner I-beams 24, while the other lever 52 is connected by a rod 60 to a cross-brace 61, rigidly secured to the outer I-beams 25, the latter cross-brace being sufliciently depressed at its central portion to pass beneath the I-beams 24 and their operating means. These rods 58 and 60, like the rods 4L0 and 48, are preferably composed of two lengths, that length which is connected to the corresponding operating-lever being made double in each case. With this arrangement provision may readily be made for varying the length of any of said rods at the point where the double portion is connected to the single portion thereof. The shaft 36 is driven in any suitable manner, as by means of a sprocket-wheel 62, secured to one end thereof and operated from any convenient source of power, and the several cams are so cut and timed that the various movements imparted to the sets of conveyer-sections by the mechanism described will have the proper extent and sequence, as hereinafter explained. The weight of the sets of conveyer-sections will serve to hold the cam-rollers against their respective cams; but positive action of these cams in both directions may be secured, if desired, by causing the rims of the cams to extend laterally beyond the webs thereof and providing each of the levers operated by the cams with a finger 63, having an inwardly-extending free end 64, adapted to project behind the rim of the corresponding cam, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In a similar manner the tracks 26 may be held in the grooves of the rollers 27 by providing each of the arms'which carry said rollers with a finger 65, having a laterally-extending free end 66, adapted to project over the flange of the corresponding rail at a short distance therefrom, as shown in Fig. 3.

The mode of operation of the apparatus above described, resulting from the movements imparted to the two sets of conveyer-sections by the action of the various cams, is clearly illustrated in Fig. 8, in which the heavy line is assumed to represent the position of a portion of the tread-surfaces and risers, or, in other words, a profile of the upper edges of the conveyer-sections when all the tread-surfaces are in a position of coincidence, while the dotted lines and the dot-and-dash lines, respectively, represent successive positions reached by said tread-surfaces while performing their cyclical movements, the dotted lines indicating the 'movement of the tread-surfaces which for the time being are exposed and operative to convey passengers and the dot-anddash lines indicating their return movement along the depressed path. The light full line represents the closed path traversed by a point located at the front edge of one of the treadsurfaces, the path of any other point of the conveyer-sections being exactly similar, and the small circles through which this line passes indicate the positions reached by the point which generates this path after equal intervals, each of which is one-twelfth of the interval required for the completion of a cyclical movement. In other words, referring to the specific construction previously described, one

complete rotation of the driving-shaft 36 is assumed to be divided into twelve equal parts, each representing thirty degrees of angular movement, and the small circles in Fig. 8 indicate the positions of the point which generates the closed path, corresponding to these divisions of the complete rotation of the driving-shaft. The arrows in Fig. 8 indicate the direction in which said path is assumed to be traversed, the direction of conveyance being upward in the case supposed, and it will be evident that while the tread-surfaces of one set of conveyer-sections are moving from one position of coincidence through the successive dotted-line positions to another position of coincidence the tread-surfaces of the other set of sections are moving from a position of coincidence through the dot-anddash-line positions to another position of coincidence. Thus if the point a be assumed to represent the position of the front edge of an A tread at a given instant and the point I) be assumed to represent the corresponding position of the front edge of a B tread, while the point a is moving successively to a and a the point 6 will move successively to b and Z2 and so on. The movement of the point a during a half-rotation of the driving-shaft will take it to the point 5, along the straight line which forms the flat-exposed portion of the closed path, parallel with the direction of con'v'eyence, and simultaneously the movement of the point I) will carry it along the depressed or return portion of the closed path to the point a, during which movements the A treads will be. operative to convey passengers in the required direction for a distance represented by the distance from a to b in the diagram. After the point a reaches point 6 in the diagram the succeeding half-rotation of the driving-shaft will cause it to return to its original position along the depressed portion of the closed path, and simultaneously the point I) will return to its original position along the fiat exposed portion of the closed path and the B treads will be operative in precisely the same manner as above described to convey through an equal distance any passengerswhich may have been deposited upon them by the A treads by the passing of the latter through a position of coincidence with the 'B treads. The equal spacing of the small circles on the flat upper portion of the closed path indicates that the movement of conveyance by either set of treads is uniform in speed, and it will be noted that this closed path is rounded at the points where it changes its direction at the ends of said fiat upper portion, so that when the two sets of treadsurfaces are close to a position of coincidence they both move in substantially the same direction for a brief interval, with the result that when the exact position of coincidence is' reached passengers are transferred from one set of tread-surfaces to the other without shock or jar. Thus by repetition of the cyclical movements described passengers may be conveyed fromone end of the conveyer to the other at a uniform speed. It will be seen that the depressed or return portions of the closed path traversed by the front or outer edge of a tread surface clears the angle formed at the junction of the tread with the riser next above it, showing that the treadsurfaces remain completely concealed during their return movement and do not project at any time into the space liable to be occupied by a passenger standing on the corresponding tread-surfaces of the other set of conveyersections. In the specific apparatus illustrated the conveyer-sections are readily caused to traverse a closed path, such as shown in the diagram, by so cutting and timing the cams that each set of rollers in turn is held stationary in the position of maximum elevation, while the corresponding set of conveyer-sections is given its forward movement in the direction of conveyance, whereupon the rollers are depressed sufficiently to cause the conveyer-sections carried thereby to follow the depressed path indicated while performing their return movement along said rollers.

It will appear from a study of Fig. 8 that the closed path represented therein is such that while any given A tread, for example, is moved in the direction of conveyance from one position of coincidence with a B tread to another, as from a to b, the B tread with which it was in coincidence at the point a will be moved simultaneously along its return-path to a position of coincidence with that Atread which is the next but one below the A tread which starts from the point athat is to say, each tread-surface of either set of conveyersections will coincide alternately with two tread-surfaces of the other set of sections which are not consecutive, but have another tread-surface between them. It is to be pointed out, however, that this specific arrangement is not essential and that the tread-surfaces of either set of conveyer-sections may be caused to coincide alternately with consecutivetread-surfaces of the other set of conveyer-sections or with tread-surfaces of the latter sections, which have more than one other tread-surface between them, without interfering with the operativeness of the ap: paratus, since the positions of coincidence depend merely upon the dimensions of the closed path as determined by the proportioning of the operating parts. In practice, however, 1 consider it inadvisable to give this closed. path a greater length than will make its exposed portion equal to the distance between the front edges of two consecutive tread-surfaces, as otherwise the taking on and landing of passengers would be less easily accomplished. It will be evident, furthermore,

by the conveyer-sections may be varied to any extent desired as long as the tread-surfaces are not exposed while performing their return movements and provision is made for suitably transferring passengers from one set of tread-surfaces to the other.

While the parts above described are suflicient for conveying passengers from one end of the inclined conveyer-sections to the other, it is desirable in practice to provide in connection therewith means for automatically taking up passengers at one end of the inclined conveyer and for depositing them at its other end, and to this end I have devised an arrangement for this purpose which will also serve to convey passengers for any desired distance in a horizontal direction at one or both ends of the inclined conveyer. My apparatus for accomplishing this result is similar in principle and mode of operation to the inclined conveyer already described, in that it comprises a number of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections which are combined to form two relatively movable unitary elements each having its conveyer-sections interleaved with those of the other element; but in this case the tread-surface of each section is continuous and horizontal, or substantially so. Similar constructions may be used that the shape of the closed path traversed at the upper and lower ends of the inclined conveyer, and the description of either will apply to the other. According to the particular construction illustrated, my horizontal conveyer, which I will term a conveyinglanding, is composed of a number of conveyer-sections 67 and 68, which are equal in number and in lateral thickness to the conveyer-sections 8 and-9, respectively, and each of which provides a continuous treadsurface at its upper edge. These sections 67 and 68 may be constructed of strip-iron frames with sheet-metal sides, substantially as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and provided, respectively, with supporting-posts 69 and 70, each transverse series of posts being clamped between transversely-extending plates 71, which in turn are supported by two pairs of horizontal longitudinally-extending I-beams 72 and 73. The beams 72 carry the sections 67 and the beams 73 carry the sections 68, the details of construction and arrangement being precisely similar to the corresponding details of the inclined conveyer-sections and the two sets of sections 67 and 68 being thereby united in interleaved relation to form two relatively movable unitary elements, as aforesaid. These unitary elements are sooperated that the collective tread-surfaces provided at the upper edges of each element are alternately exposed above and depressed beneath the tread-surfaces of the other element and are given a forward movement in the direction of conveyance while exposed and a return movement while depressed. Each of these elements thus has a cyclical movement analogous to that of the inclined conveyer-sections; but the closed path traversed by the horizontal sections is of a different shape and has different proportions, the upper exposed portion of this path being fiat and horizontal and the vertical dimensionof the path being relatively small by preference, although this is not essential. Each of the sections 67 is located in longitudinal alinement with one of the sections 8,

and each section 68 is similarly alined with one of the sections 9. Each pair of these alined sections abut against each other at their adjacent ends, and said ends are fitted to have a relative sliding movement in a vertical direction, being preferably provided with a tongue-and-groove connection, such as is illustrated at 74 in Figs. 6 and 7, in order to preserve the alinement of the sections with accuracy. Means are provided for operating the sets of sections 67 and 68 in such manner that whenever the inclined conveyer-sections 8 and 9 are elevated or depressed by the movements of the rollers 27 which carry them the corresponding sections 67 and 68 are synchronously elevated or depressed, the difi'erence in the extent of their vertical movements being provided for by the tongue-andgroove connection above referred to. To this end each pair of I-beams 72 and 73 may be provided with tracks 75, each supported by and adapted to run on a pair of grooved rollers 76, said rollers being supported and arranged to operate in the same way as the rollers 27. The details of construction are illustrated in Fig. 4, in which represents a rock-shaft journaled on the-framework 2 and provided with arms 78, which are rigidly secured thereto and carry a pair of the rollers 76 on which the outer I-beams 72 run. 79 represents a sleeve journaled on the shaft 77 and provided with arms 80, carrying a pair of the rollers on which the I-beams 73 run, and 8L and 82 represent arms secured to the shaft 77 and the sleeve 79, respectively, by the operation of which arms 81 and 82 the corresponding pairs of rollers are elevated and depressed. A precisely-similar construction is employed for each set of rollers 76, and the arms 81 and 82 are respectively connected in pairs by rods 83 and 84, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that the movements of all the rollers which carry a given set of sections 67 or 68 are alike in direction and extent. The arms 78 and 80 may be provided, respectively, with the fingers above described for the same purpose. The operation of the rollers 76 is provided for in any suitable manner, preferably by means of rods 85 and 86 connecting, respectively, the pairs of arms 81 and 82 with the adjacent arms which actuate the rollers 27 for the corresponding sets of incline conveyer-sections, as shown in Figs. 1. and 5, the vertical movements of the sections 67 and 68 being thus caused to take place in unison with the corresponding movements of the inclined sections 8 and 9. Each set of sections 67 and 68 is also given longitudinal movements in unison with those of the corresponding sets of inclined conveyer-sections, these movements being such as to keep the abutting ends of the respective inclined and horizontal sections in contact with each other at all times. This result is preferablyaccomplished by securing to each of the I-beams 72 and 73, at that end which is adjacent to the inclined conveyer, a plate 87, provided with a vertical slot 88, in which slot is located a roller 89, journaled on the bifurcated end of an arm 90, secured to the adjacent I-beam 24 or 25, the diameter of said roller being slightly less than the width of the slot 88, so that it will move freely therein and run on the edges of the slot as a track. Thus whatever longitudinal movements are imparted to the inclined I-beams 24 and 25 are transmitted through the medium of the rollers 89 and slotted plates 87 to the corresponding horizontal I'beams 72 and 73, the relative vertical movements of the horizontal and inclined I-beams being permitted by the capacity of the rollers to travel in the vertical slots. As thus constructed the operation is as follows: Assuming that the apparatus is being used as an ascending conveyer and that a passenger is standing on that portion of the lower conveying-landing which is remote from the inclined conveyer, the operation of the connections described causes the tread-surfaces of the sections 67 or 68 by which he is then supported to perform or complete aforward movement along the flat upper portion of their path, carrying the passenger with them, at the, end of which forward movement they disappear beneath the tread-surfaces of the other set of horizontal sections and perform their return movement. By this disappearing movement the passenger is deposited on the latter tread-surfaces and is thereupon carried forward'by them in like manner until they in turn disappear and deposit him upon those sections on which he was originally standing, but at some distance ahead of his starting-point. The result of the continued repetition of these cyclical movements is that the passenger is continuously propelled toward the inclined conveyer at a uniform speed until he reaches a point so near the end of the conveying-landing that the lowermost tread-surfaces of one set of the inclined conveyer-sections are brought beneath his feet by their depressed return movement, during which they interleave with the exposed horizontalconveyer-sections, whereupon the disappearing movement of the horizontal treadsurfaces on which he is standing results in depositing him upon said lowermost treadsurfaces of the inclined conveyer-sections. The tread-surfaces from which he has just been deposited then perform their return movement in unison with the alined conveyer-sections, the forward upward movement of the inclined conveyer-sections on which he is now standing elevates him above-the level of the lower conveying-landing, and he is thereupon carried up the incline in the manner already described. Ultimately he will be deposited upon the topmost tread-surfaces of one of the sets of inclined conveyer-sections at the beginning of their forward and upward movement, at which time he will evidently be located one step below the level of the upper conveying-landing, and thereupon the tread-surfaces on which he is standing perform said forward and upward movement. Simultaneously the other set of tread-surfaces of the inclined conveyer perform their return movement, and the corresponding horizontal conveyer-sections move with them in a path which is sufficiently depressed to prevent the exposure of the extreme outer ends of said horizontal sections above the tread-surfaces on which the passenger is standing at any point. The ends of one set of the horizontal sections are thereby brought beneath the feet of the passenger, and as the tread-surfaces on which he is standing commence their return movement he is deposited thereby upon said horizontal sections and is thence conveyed to the remote end of the upper conveying-landing by the operation of its sections in a manner precisely like that of the lower conveyinglanding.

In order to transfer passengers automatically from the horizontal conveying-landings to the stationary floors or the like to which they are adjacent, and vice versa, said conveying-landings may be combined, respectively, with stationary gratings located at the same level with the respective floors or platforms 6 and 7 and forming, in effect, continuations thereof, the bars of these gratings being arranged to interleave with the adjacent ends of v the horizontal conveyer-sections and having their collective top surfaces located slightly below the tread-surfaces of the conveyersections when in their position of maximum elevation. My preferred construction is illustrated in Fig. 5, according to which each of the horizontal conveyer-sections 67 and 68 is provided at that end which is adjacent to the grating with a central vertical slot 91, extending longitudinally for a distance slightly greater than the length of the closed path traversed by said sections and having a width sufficient to receive one of the bars 92, which compose the grating. These bars 92 are spaced apart in any suitable manner, as by means of interleaved strips 93, the whole being secured together by rods 94: passing through them in a transverse direction and being suitably supported on a level with the adjacent flooring. The projecting free ends of the bars of the grating extend toward the corresponding horizontal conveyer sections and have a length substantially equal to that of the slots 91 and are located at such an elevation that during the forward movement of the slotted ends of said sections the tread-surfaces of the latter are located slightly above the grating. The result is that a passenger who walks upon the grating toward the conveyer in the direction in which the latter is operating Will be picked up by said slotted ends of the horizontal conveyer-sections as the latter rise through the grating and removed from the grating onto and carried forward by the conveying-landing, as previously described. Conversely, a passenger who is carried by the conveyer to the grating is ultimately supported on the slotted ends of one set of said horizontal conveyer-sections and carried by them over the grating during their forward movement, whereupon their disappearing movement deposits him upon the grating and leaves him free to walk off the same.

It will be observed that the transfer of a passenger from the lower conveying-landing to the inclined conveyer-sections,or vice versa, is accomplished in substantially the same manner as thetransfer of a passenger from or to the stationary gratings, and such a grating might obviously be combined directly with the lower end of the inclined conveyer, if desired; but in practice I prefer to employ the conveying-landing, because it assists passengers in changing the direction of their movement and also prevents crowding at the end of the inclined conveyer. It will be seen also that the horizontal conveying apparatus herein described may be used independently of the inclined conveyer for the conveyance of passengers for any desired distance in a hori- Zontal direction or in any direction which is so nearlyhorizontal that passengers will experience no difficulty in standing upon its tread-surfaces and that either form of con veyer may be used for the transportation of inanimate objects as well as persons from one point to another.

I claim as my invention-' v 1. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections and means for moving the same in closed paths each having a flat portion along which the effective movement of the corresponding section takes place, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being similar in direction but opposite in phase.

2. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections and meansfor moving the same in like direction in closed paths each having a flat portion along which the eifective movement of the corresponding section takes place, the operation of said means being so timed that the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths are opposite in phase and the eifective movements of all the sections being uniform in velocity.

3. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections and means for moving the same in closed paths each having a flat portion along which the eifective movement of the corresponding section takes place, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being similar in direction but opposite in phase and the movements of all the sections being coincident in direction and velocity at the beginning and end of the Hat portions of said paths.

. 4. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections having supportingsurfaces at their upper edges, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating therewith, and means for moving each of said sets in a closed path having a flat upper portion and a depressed return portion, the flat portions of the paths of the supporting-surfaces being in the same plane, and said means being timed to impart to each of said sets in alternation a forward movement along the flat portion of its path while the other set is performing its return movement.

5. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of interleaved conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another, and means for moving the same in closed paths each having a fiat upper portion extending in the direction of conveyance, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being similar in direction but opposite in phase.

6. In a conveyer, the combination oftwo sets of interleaved conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with supporting-surfaces formingsteps, and means for imparting to said sets of sections cyclical movements the forward portions of which are conjointly effective to propel a passenger in the direction of conveyance.

7 In a conveyer, the combination of laterally adjacent conveyer sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with supporting-surfaces forming steps, and means for moving said sections in like direction in closed paths along the upper portions of which the effective movement of the corresponding sections takes place, the operation of said means being so timed that the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths are opposite in phase.

8. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of thejother set and alternating therewith, and means for exposing the supporting-surfaces of each set in alternation above the corresponding surfaces of the other set, and for imparting a forward movement to each set while its supporting-surfaces are exposed and a return movement along a depressed path.

9. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyor-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating therewith, and means for moving each of said sets from a position of coincidence of the supporting-surfaces along a closed path having a flat upper portion and a depressed return portion, said means being timed to impart to each of said sets in alternation a forward movement at a uniform speed along the flat portion of its path while the other set is performing its return movement.

10. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections having supportingsurfaces at their upper edges, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating therewith, means for exposing the supporting-surfaces of each set in alternation above the corresponding surfaces of the other set, and for imparting a forward movement to each set while its supporting-surfaces are exposed and a return movement along a depressed path, andmeans movable with said sections for a limited distance for transferring a passenger to or from the same.

11. In aconveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections having supporting-surfaces at their upper edges, means for moving the same in like direction in closed paths along the upper portions of which the eflective movement of the corresponding sections takes place, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being op posite in phase, and a relatively fixed grating having its bars located in position to interleave with said conveyer-sections and having their upper surfaces not higher than the path of forward movement of the supporting-surfaces of said sections.

12. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another, supplementary conveyer-sections each extending horizontally from one end of one of the inclined conveyersections, and means for imparting to said inclined and horizontal sections cyclical movements the forward portions of which are conjointly effective to propel a passenger in the direction of conveyance.

13. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another, supplementary conveyer-sections each extendinghorizontally from one end of one of the inclined conveyersections, means for imparting to said inclined and horizontal sections cyclical movements, the forward portions of which are conjointly effective to propel a passenger in the direction of conveyance, and a grating interleaved with the free ends of the horizontal conveyersections.

14. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of interleaved conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with supporting-surfaces forming steps, two corresponding sets of supplementary con veyer-sections each extending horizontally from one end of one of the inclined sections, and means for imparting to said sets of inclined and horizontal sections cyclical movements the forward portions of which are conjointly effective to propel a passenger in the direction of conveyance.

15. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of interleaved conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with supporting-surfaces forming steps, two corresponding sets of supplementary conveyer sections each extending horizontally from one end of one of the inclined sections, means for imparting to said sets of inclined and horizontal sections cyclical movements the forward portions of which are conjointly effective to propel a passenger in the direction of conveyance, and a grating interleaved with the free ends of the horizontal conveyersections.

16. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections having supportingsurfaces at their upper edges, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating therewith, devices for supporting said sets of sections and permitting longitudinal movements thereof, means for elevating and depressing the supporting devices of each set in alternation, and means for imparting simultaneous longitudinal movements to alternate sections in opposite directions.

17. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating therewith, devices for supporting said sets of sections and permitting longitudinal movements thereof, means for elevating and depressing the supporting devices of each set in alternation, and means for imparting simultaneous longitudinal movements to alternate sections in oppositedirections.

18. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, means for moving said sections in closed paths along the upper portions of which the effective movement of the corresponding sections takes place, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being similar in direction butopposite in phase, supplementary conveyer-sections each extending horizontally from one end of one of the inclined conveyer-sections, in alinement therewith, and means for imparting to said supplementary'sections cyclical movements which are similar to and synchronous with the corresponding movements of the respective alined inclined conveyer-sections.

19. In a conveyer, the combination of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, means for moving said sections in closed paths along the upper portions of which the effective movement of the corresponding sections takes place, the movements of alternate sections along their respective paths being similar in direction but opposite in phase, supplementary conveyer-sections each extending horizontally from one-end of one of the inclined conveyer sections, in alinement therewith,means for imparting to said supplementary sections cyclical movements which are similar to and synchronous with the corresponding movements of the respective alined inclined conveyer -sections, and a relatively fixed grating the bars of which are adapted to interleave with said supplementary sections and have their upper surfaces not higher than the path of forward movement of the supporting-surfaces of said sections.

20. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of conveyer-sections extending from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, the sections of each set being arranged side by side with those of the other set and alternating IIS rocating each set of inclined and horizontal sections on said supporting devices, the forward movements of each set alternating with those of the other set.

21. In a conveyer, a conveyer-section comprising downwardly extending supportingposts, a strip-iron framework carried thereby and providing a supporting-surface, and plates covering the sides of said framework.

22. In a conveyer, a set of conveyer-sec- 2o tions each provided with downwardly-extending supporting-posts, and means for uniting 'the sections into a unitary element comprislng cross-plates, means for clamping the posts between them, and means for spacing said 2 5 posts.

23. In a conveyer, a set of laterally-spaced conveyor-sections adapted to extend from one elevation to another and provided with a series of supporting-surfaces forming steps, and

3 means for rigidly uniting said sections into a unitary element.

2 1. In a conveyer, the combination of a set of conveyer-sections and means for uniting the same into a unitary element, comprising downwardly-extending posts secured to each section, a pair of cross-plates corresponding to each series of posts, means for clamping said posts in spaced relation between the crossplates, and longitudinal beams to which said 4 cross-plates are secured.

25. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections, the sections of each set alternating with those of the other set, means for uniting the sections of each set into a unitary element, tracks secured to each of said elements, rollers supporting said tracks, means for elevating and depressing sa1d rollers, and means for imparting longitudinal movements to said sections on the corresponding rollers.

26. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of laterally-adjacent conveyer-sections, the sections of each set alternating with those of the other set, means for uniting the sections of each set into a unitary element, tracks secured to each of said elements, rollers supporting said tracks, a driving-shaft provided with cams, levers arranged to be operated by said cams, connections between a portion of said levers and the respective sets of con veyersections for reciprocating the latter, and connections between the remaining levers and the rollers for elevating and depressing said rollers.

27. In a conveyer, the combination of two sets of laterally-adjacent con veyer-sections extending from one elevation to another, the sections of each set alternating with those of the other set, two sets of supplementary conveyer-sections each extending horizontally from one end of one of the inclined sections, in alinement therewith, and having a sliding engagement with the same at their adjacent ends, devices for supporting the inclined and horizontal sections and permitting longitudinal movements thereof, means for elevating and depressing the supporting devices of each PIERRE LORILLARD.

Witnesses:

HORACE H. WESTCO'IT, J. P. FROM 

